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E-cigarette ad banned over overall health claims

An ad for Ten Motives e-cigarettes has been banned by the ASA Photograph: Screengrab

An advert for an e-cigarette brand has been banned following the advertising watchdog ruled that claims which includes that it was “the healthier smoking alternative” could not be substantiated.

Wednesday’s ruling by the Promoting Specifications Authority comes as it seems to introduce new regulations for e-cigarette marketing and advertising to clear up uncertainty in the industry.

The leaflet for 10 Motives’ disposable electronic cigarettes claimed they have been “the healthier smoking option” and “due to the fact it consists of no tar or cancerous toxins, you can nonetheless appreciate smoking without worrying about the effects on your wellness”.

The ad was challenged over no matter whether these claims could be substantiated.

In its defence, Ten Motives argued that e-cigarettes have been a safer substitute to standard cigarettes, saying that its solution contained none of the 4,000 or so damaging harmful toxins and carcinogens found in standard tobacoo-primarily based merchandise.

It pointed out that regulator Medicines &amp Healthcare Products Regulatory Company (MHRA) had confirmed that it was acceptable to refer to its goods as a healthier alternative.

It also cited a briefing document from the public health charity Ash (Action on Smoking and Wellness) that stated “individuals smoke for nicotine but they die from the tar”.

10 Motives also presented hyperlinks to presentations given at an e-cigarette summit in November 2013 at the Royal Society, which it mentioned had been attended by recognised worldwide scientific authorities on smoking, which includes the MHRA.

It highlighted estimates and presentations that it said supported the ad’s claims, like a science-based mostly independent presentation, “Nicotine security in the context of e-cigarette use and tobacco dependance”.

In its ruling, the ASA mentioned the two claims in the ad have been understood to suggest the Ten Motive’s merchandise were significantly less harmful than typical cigarettes.

But it ruled that the ad ought to be banned, as although it acknowledged the quote from Ash, it mentioned it was not supported by even more documentation or substantiation displaying the results of e-cigarettes or the 10 Motives products particularly.

Likewise, it said the summit presentations did not deal particularly with Ten Motives items.

In its ruling, the ASA concluded the claims “the healthier smoking substitute” and “you can even now enjoy smoking with no worrying about the results on your well being” had been misleading and the ad should be banned.

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